What could be better than Strawberry Gelato? Try my easy-to-make and oh so delicious Strawberry Gelato Recipe and decide for yourself.
*It also works well in an ice cream maker
When I was in Italy, I just couldn’t get enough Gelato! I don’t care what time it was, or how cold it was, it was always time for gelato, but when I’ve tried it in the states (with very few exceptions) it just didn’t taste right.
The flavor might have been there, but the texture was wrong, it was just never quite right.
Over the years I have attempted to make my own gelato always blaming the fact that it didn’t come out right on my ice cream maker. The truth is it was the recipe I was using.
And yes I did also buy a gelato maker…..boys and their toys..sigh.
Whyn Is Gelato Different than Ice Cream?
Technically speaking “Real Gelato” is made differently than Ice cream. It’s denser and creamier, and the flavors are more intense than regular ice cream. The reason for this is due to a very important ingredient – air.
American ice cream can contain up to 50% air. This results in a lighter airier texture. And to compensate for this lighter airier texture we tend to like our ice cream richer getting more of the taste sensation from the cream.
When making gelato, air is prevented from blending into the mixture. This creates the denser and more intense flavors that gelato is so popularly known for.
To keep the intensity of the flavors, traditional gelato is made using more milk than cream. Some recipes won’t include cream and some even use part water. So when I worked on my recipe I decided to blend milk with some cream to get the consistency I wanted while not sacrificing the intense gelato flavor.
I also found recipes with eggs, and while I do love a good custard-style ice cream, this was Gelato not ice cream and the addition of eggs only seemed to complicate the recipe and detract from the gelato flavor.
What ingredients do I need to make Strawberry Gelato?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Strawbery Gelato. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Can I Use an Ice Cream Maker to Make a Gelato Recipe?
I used the Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Maker attachment to recreate my original recipe when I redid this post and was very happy with the results. So don’t feel you need to go out and buy a gelato maker. Your regular ice cream maker will work well too.
How do I make Strawberry Gelato?
- Place the strawberries, lemon juice and the sugar in a food processor and process until liquefied.
- Add the milk and run the food processor until all the mixture is smooth.
- Whip the cream with a wire whisk until it begins to thicken slightly and becomes the consistency of buttermilk.
- Mix the cream and strawberry mixture in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
Pour the mixture into a gelato or ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer’s instructions. When the mixture is thickened and frozen, move it to a freezer-safe container and allow it to fully freeze (2-3 hours).
Serve up this amazingly delicious gelato and
If you’re looking for a gelato maker, these are the three I recommend.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Strawberry Gelato
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh strawberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup whole milk (water, 2% or skim milk can be used)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Remove the stems and leaves from the strawberries and rinse in cold water.
- Place the strawberries, lemon juice and the sugar in a food processor and process until liquefied.
- Add the milk and run the food processor until all the mixture is smooth.
- Whip the cream with a wire whisk until it begins to thicken slightly and becomes the consistency of buttermilk.
- Mix the cream and strawberry mixture in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Pour the mixture into a gelato or ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Place the finished gelato into a freezer safe container and allow to fully freeze before serving (2-3 hours).
Eva@ kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/
I always think of my childhood visits to Budapest; the Hungarians also make a gelato-like ice cream that was just wild with flavour. Unbelievable flavour that no North American ice cream could even come close to. Strawberry was my favourite. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Jen
The texture of real gelato just can’t be beat. But if you wanted to keep the sorbet thing going, this recipe looks like it would be delicious with a nice German Reisling instead of the water…
Kimmi
If I wasn’t allergic to strawberries I would jump on this like a cat on a mouse.
Tina@flourtrader
Nice tips and links here in regards to photography-much appreciated. Also, your strawberry gelato looks amazing.
Cassie l Bake Your Day
Great tips! And this gelato sounds wonderful. I love it and sounds very simple to make!
RavieNomNoms
Gelato is the best! I love how rich and creamy it is compared to ice cream just like you said. I think that gelato is much more friendly to the hips too, I have no real justification for that haha…just that I like it more so that is what I tell myself when I eat it ;-). Your gelato looks fantastic Chef! The color is amazing and I am sure the texture is amazing
Kelly
Mmmm your strawberry gelato looks amazing and I always LOVE when you share your tips and tricks with photography! 🙂
Dionne Baldwin
I don’t know how you can make frozen treats look good! I’m not even close to there yet. I LOVE gelato. In fact, I don’t even mind that this is strawberry flavored! I have to try this at my house. I think everyone will be a huge fan.
I’m off to find that book. I need some “help” with my lack of photography skills. I know that your advice has helped me in huge amounts. When I gave in and used a tripod I was amazed at how much clearer my photos turned out. 🙂
Thank you for all that you do for the food community, Dennis. I hope you are having a good week!
Nash at Plateful
I totally love gelato and particularly the strawberry flavor. You know, the Indian version of gelato is kulfi. Very rich and creamy and traditionally made without any air. If you ask me, totally decadent. As for the photography, it’s true that you can produce good images with just a P&S. I personally don’t own any fancy gears (D-SLR, tripod), but I sure wish I had an SLR for better quality images. Btw, buzzed!
Curt
Something I still need to try! My daughter lived in Italy for 3 years and always raved about how much more flavorful Gelato is than American ice creams.
JeannieP
It looked so good I almost licked my laptop’s screen!
The Kitchen Noob
I’ve actually made a pair of lightboxes from http://bsinthekitchen.com/?p=829 and while they do shed light on the subject, I also have a few complaints…
If you’re going to make these, you’ll probably need 3-4 otherwise you get bad shadows depending on how you angle the lights. The size of these boxes is cumbersome if you have limited workspace – I often struggle to get enough light into my photograph without actually having the box in the photo. Also, while the mesh has a structural role it also absorbs a lot of the light from the bulbs. I even used a twin socket adapter within and my photos still came out very dark.
I’ve recently been working with compact fluorescent bulbs screwed into clamp lights. It works really well in the lighting department, and the clamps make the lights versatile as far as location. The only downside is the glare I get from reflective surfaces like plates, but I suppose I could build something out of dowel rods and tissue papers to diffuse the light.
Kim Bee
This looks so good. Sadly I’ve never had a true gelato so I’m not sure I’d know the difference in taste. One day I’ll get to try the real deal. I am happy to know the gelato machine works well. I was scoping it out online one day. Haven’t pulled the trigger yet though. I always appreciate the advice you offer here. I’d be lost without your “ask Chef Dennis” series. I am still using my yucky kodak easyshare. It’s the nicer model but it’s still ancient and not up to snuff. But I am determined to learn to use it well before I invest in a nicer camera. I have to say I loved my Bro’s Rebel when he visited. But I’ve also eyed the Nikon one The Pioneer Woman recommends. I want to go to the camera store one day when I have some free time (falls down laughing) and try them all out. See how they feel as well as function. Like buying a drill, if it doesn’t feel right I don’t want it. Lol! You should see how much research I put into picking my sander, if it’s any indication of the camera buying process this could take awhile. See, us girls like toys too. Lol! I wish I was going to the foodbuzz thing. Take lots of pics!!
Ann
Hi there Chef Dennis! GREAT information! I remember the gelato in Sicily – it was amazing! I think my favorite had roasted espresso beans in it. I could only find it in the Piazza across from St. Agatha’s Cathedral in Catania. It was amazing!
OfBaking
Thank you! I always had a general idea, but I never knew exactly what made gelato, well, gelato. Thanks for this post and for reminding me of Italy.